"Today, we are honoured to have signed the Comprehensive Agreement on Enduring Friendship in the same spirit. This agreement, in addition to the Joint Defence Agreement signed in 21 February 2019, is a firm demonstration of our commitment to take our centuries-old relationship into a new era of cooperation, sharing expertise and experiences which will benefit generations to come, including in people to people links, technology, science, education, health, culture, innovation, prosperity and growth, and fisheries and agriculture", both ministers said as quoted in a press release.
According to the text, London and Muscat have already discussed brokering peace in Yemen, and are currently in contact with both Iran and the United States in an attempt to prevent further escalation.
READ MORE: Dreaming of Empire: UK Secures 'Permanent' Naval Base 'East of Suez' in Oman
In the late 18th century, the United Kingdom and Oman signed the first in a series of friendship treaties, including the 1800 "Unshook" treaty pledging friendship "to the end of time, till the sun and the moon have finished their revolving careers", covering a wide array of bilateral relations.
On 15 May, the Foreign Office announced it was entering so-called crisis mode, initiating 24/7 service amid growing tensions between the United States and Iran; after Washington increased its military buildup in the region, deploying the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, a Patriot missile defence system and other military hardware in the vicinity of Iran.
Since his election in 2016, US President Donald Trump has antagonized the 2015 international nuclear agreement on Iran and unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018, imposing several consecutive rounds of economic sanctions on Tehran. On 8 May 2019, Iran announced its own decision to partially discontinue its obligations under the deal.
READ MORE: 'If US Doesn’t Dare' Attack Iran, It's Due 'Spirit of Resistance' – Commander
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that Iran does not intend to wage war with the United States but will continue to resist Washington.